Phoenix Open to rival Super Bowl for noise as golf’s ‘loudest hole’ take on screaming Kansas City Chiefs and 49ers fans in Vegas

Golf may be known as one of sport's gentleman games - but fans at the Phoenix Open clearly haven't got that message.

Thursday marks the first round of the iconic PGA Tour event at the famous TPC Scottsdale, where you can be sure of wild and wonderful antics.

While Super Bowl fever is taking over Las Vegas, it could be Nevada's neighbouring state Arizona that boasts the loudest spectacle on Sunday.

And that's all down to the famous par-three 16th hole - affectionately dubbed the 'party hole'.

With pints sent flying, boos ringing around the green and fans often shirtless, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were watching Happy Gilmore.

Remember those videos of fans celebrating Kieran Trippier's free-kick against Croatia at the 2018 World Cup? It's that, for four days.

While 200,000 people take in the action from the world's best players, it's only 20,000 seats that interest them - and they sure make it an experience golfers will never forget.

The 16th hole's wild reputation goes back to the early 1990s when Phil Mickelson was a student at Arizona State University, where he established a huge following.

They would sit on the hillside on the 16th waiting for him, before then going mad at the sight of the American icon.

And in 1997, Tiger Woods sent the fans in attendance into a frenzy after recording the most famous hole-in-one in history in front of 15,000 fans.

Harry Higgs and Joel Dahmen showed that the spirit of the 16th is still alive and kicking in 2022 by taking their shirts off to the delight of the spectators.

And last year, the noise decibels were regularly in the early 100s - louder than Old Trafford's noise levels last season which maxed out at 95.9.

But amazingly, that's nothing compared to the noise that fans of the Kansas City Chiefs make.

They set a Guinness World Record in 2014 at their Arrowhead Stadium after hitting 142.2 decibels - the equivalent of a jet engine at take-off.

And the Chiefs faithful are sure to create a mad atmosphere at Super Bowl 58 on Sunday at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium.

Vying to win their third title since 2019, they will face the San Francisco 49ers in a repeat of the final five years ago.

They have fond memories of playing in the home of the Las Vegas Raiders - winning all four matches since it's opening in 2020.

Fans created such a noise there in November, that ESPN pundit Skip Bayliss thought the match was taking place at Arrowhead.

The Phoenix Open is being billed as being the perfect build-up event to the Super Bowl.

But you can be sure that the fans in Arizona will be out to prove once again that golf is anything but a quiet game.

Catch the WM Phoenix Open from TPC Scottsdale in Arizona live on talkSPORT 2 from Thursday to Sunday!